Samsung Galaxy A36 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S21
34.7Performance34.4
46.2Display49.1
41.7Camera40.8
52.5Battery36.9
89.3Features78.7
13 spec wins — Samsung Galaxy A36 5G7 spec wins — Samsung Galaxy S21
InnoReviews verdict
Samsung Galaxy A36 5G wins this phone face-off, 47.4 to 43.6, pulling ahead mainly in battery (+16) and features (+11). Samsung Galaxy S21 still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Samsung Galaxy A36 5G
- Stronger battery score: 53 vs 37
- Stronger features score: 89 vs 79
- 317% higher Main camera: 50 MP vs 12 MP
- 80% higher Wired charging: 45 W vs 25 W
- 50% higher RAM (max): 12 GB vs 8 GB
- Lower launch price: $400 vs $799
Reasons to pick the Samsung Galaxy S21
- 50% higher ultra-wide: 12 MP vs 8 MP
- 41% higher Geekbench 6 (single): 1,430 vs 1,016
- 22% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 3,550 vs 2,902
- 12% lower weight: 171 g vs 195 g
Display
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy A36 5G | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.7 ″+8% | 6.2 ″ |
| Panel type | Super AMOLED | AMOLED |
| Resolution | 1080x2340 | 2400x1080 |
| Pixel density | 385 ppi | 421 ppi+9% |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 1,200 nits | 1,300 nits+8% |
Performance
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy A36 5G | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 | Samsung Exynos 2100 |
| AnTuTu 11 | 816,934+9%Bottom 23% | 746,547Bottom 16% |
| AnTuTu 11 (CPU) | 304,148+21%Bottom 25% | 252,025Bottom 10% |
| AnTuTu 11 (GPU) | 133,245+4%Bottom 33% | 127,819Bottom 31% |
| AnTuTu 11 (Memory) | 150,052+4%Bottom 17% | 144,909Bottom 14% |
| AnTuTu 11 (UX) | 229,489+3%Bottom 20% | 221,794Bottom 15% |
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 1,016Bottom 31% | 1,430+41%Top 48% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 2,902Bottom 33% | 3,550+22%Bottom 48% |
| RAM (max) | 12 GB+50% | 8 GB |
| Storage options | 128/256GB | 128GB / 256GB |
| Storage type | UFS 2.2 | UFS 3.1 |
Camera
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy A36 5G | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 50 MP+317% | 12 MP |
| Main aperture | f/1.8 | f/1.8 |
| Ultra-wide | 8 MP | 12 MP+50% |
| Telephoto | — | 64 MP |
| Max video | 4K@30fps | 8K@24fps |
| Front camera | 12 MP+20% | 10 MP |
| OIS | Yes | Yes |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy A36 5G | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 5,000 mAh+25% | 4,000 mAh |
| Wired charging | 45 W+80% | 25 W |
| Wireless charging | 0 W | 15 W |
Design
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy A36 5G | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 195 g | 171 g+12% |
| Thickness | 7.4 mm+6% | 7.9 mm |
| IP rating | IP67 | IP68 |
| Frame material | Plastic | Aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy A36 5G | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|---|---|
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | 5.0 |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| USB | USB-C 2.0 | USB-C 3.2 |
| eSIM | Yes | Yes |
Software
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy A36 5G | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|---|---|
| OS at launch | Android 15 (One UI 7) | Android 11 (One UI 3.1) |
| OS update pledge | 6 years+50% | 4 years |
Audio
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy A36 5G | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|---|---|
| Stereo speakers | Yes | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
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